The Environment Institute

Visit the Institute website

The Environment Institute is tackling some of the most serious environmental challenges facing Australia and the world.

Research undertaken within the Institute is investigating how to integrate renewable energy into Australia's energy grid, is conducting scientific research that underpins the discovery and conservation of the world's biodiversity and is taking an inter-disciplinary approach to understand how we can better manage our water and landscapes to provide the greatest levels of well being to our society.

The Institute brings together leading research groups at the University of Adelaide, a highly world-ranked research University, in the fields of science, engineering, economics and social science relating to the management and use of natural resources and infrastructure.

The 2010 ERA results confirm Environment Institute’s research is at the highest international level

On Monday 24 January 2011 the Federal Government released the results of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) exercise. This was an assessment of the quality of research in all subjects in all Australian universities. The outcome for the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide was outstanding – with scores of 5, the maximum possible score, awarded for the overarching areas of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences as well as 5s in the following discipline areas:

• Evolutionary Biology
  
• Plant Biology
  
• Geology

A score of 5 is defined by ERA as indicating the research is well above world standard. A score of 4 (above world standard) was awarded to other disciplines within the Environment Institute, such as:

• Ecology
  
• Genetics
  
• Anthropology
  
• Environmental Sciences and Management
  
• Biochemistry and Cell Biology

These outcomes confirm that the Environment Institute’s research is at the highest international level and secures its reputation as a base for outstanding earth and environmental research in Australia.

The Institute combines the research strengths of four centres and three programs.

Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD)
Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity (ACEBB)
Marine Biology Program (MBP)
Climate and Ecology (CE)
Centre for Energy Technology (CET)
Landscape Futures Program (LFP)
Water Research Centre (WRC)

Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD)

ACAD is one of the leading ancient DNA centres in the world, and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. With an international reputation for highly-innovative research, ACAD is developing new platform technologies, and collaborative programs with international research leaders across multiple fields. It currently comprises 13 active research staff and 8 postgraduate research students.

Researchers in ACAD study evolution and environmental change through time using preserved genetic records in human, animal, plant and sedimentary material. The centre’s key interests include molecular studies of population genetics, paleoenvironments, phylogeny, phylogeography, molecular clocks, and the application of DNA sequences deposited through time.

On-going international projects include the extinctions of megafauna, impacts of climate change, genetic development of domestic species, human evolution. The centre also focuses on the genetic characteristics of extinct species such as mammoth, sabre-tooth cats, cave lions, New Zealand moa, ancient humans, neandertal and Flores homonids

ACAD provides international standard facilities for ancient DNA research in Australia, and across the Southern Hemisphere. Research areas include responses to environmental change, evolutionary biology, and population genetic studies of animals, plants, pathogens, and human evolution.

The purpose-built laboratories are located in the state herbarium and Botanic Gardens, where they are isolated from other areas of molecular biology research and are protected from environmental contamination by positive air-pressure and UV light sterilisation. The facilities include freezer rooms, sample decontamination and preparation areas (eg dental drill stations), and specialist still-air working areas for ancient human DNA, vertebrates and sedimentary and microbial DNA studies.

Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity (ACEBB)

The Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity investigates the systematics of Australia's flora and fauna using the latest genetic techniques. The Centre currently comprises over 48 research staff and 43 postgraduate research students.

ACEBB is a nationally recognised centre of expertise in systematics, evolutionary biology and biodiversity science. The Centre's research strengths and themes include:

• Systematics, biogeography and barcoding
• Evolutionary rates and fossil dates
• Gene flow and population history
• Speciation, hybridisation and adaptation
• Biodiversity and conservation science
• Conservation and wildlife molecular forensics

The Cntre is a lading research group within the University of Adelaide and also one of the largest. A unique strength of ACEBB is its strong collaborative relationship with the South Australian Museum, Herbarium, and Bioknowledge in the Department of Environment and Heritage. This is seen as the “best practice” model in Australia. ACEBB has a unique suite of research equipment and facilities, including the Evolutionary Biology Unit that can generate high throughput molecular genetic data and has access to quality plant, animal and insect collections.

ACEBB is actively expanding its expertise and coverage into a significant new area of science, biodiversity science. Specifically this expertise includes:

• Quantitative analysis and simulation modelling
• Population, ecological and ecosystem theory
• Extinction biology - linking population pressures from habitat fragmentation, invasive species and climate change

Marine Biology Program (MBP)

The Marine Biology Program is Australia’s leading scientific research group for temperate marine environments in Australia and has made major new discoveries through long-term, continental-scale studies. They undertake research on the ecology of fish, invertebrates and plants in estuaries and reef systems. The research of the Centre is focused on understanding the connectivity and ecology of marine environments, with research projects often spanning hundreds to thousands of kilometres of Australian coast. The researchers in this Centre are recognised for their ability and willingness to respond to national and international research priorities for management.

Two of the leading researchers in this Program, Sean Connell and Bronwyn Gillanders, edited the Marine Ecology textbook described by reviewers as a seminal volume in Australasian marine science.

The program is currently diecting the research of 14 researchers and 17 postgraduate students.

Climate and Ecology (CE)

The mission of Climate and Ecology (previously The Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability or RIsCCS) is to undertake multidisciplinary research to mitigate carbon emissions and develop adaptive strategies to respond to the anticipated impacts of climate change.

It is widely acknowledged that the planet has become warmer over the past century and that much of the observed warming has been due to increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the most significant of which is carbon dioxide. Despite efforts to reduce emissions it is predicted that increased temperatures and drier conditions are likely to generate pressures on both natural and agricultural systems across southern Australia. It is therefore important to build knowledge about the climate dependency of native and introduced species and how they are likely to respond to variations in climate and identify the most vulnerable systems and regions.

The objectives of the Climate and Ecology group are to:

• Capitalise on our research strengths and build capacity in emerging areas to build a reputation in climate change and sustainability research, by:
  • Developing and attracting research leaders
  • Pursuing alternative revenue streams
  • Working in partnership with industry
• Bring together traditionally separate academic disciplines to work in multidisciplinary research teams, by:
  • Promoting and building a culture of research collaboration amongst our researchers
  • Establishing and consolidating interdisciplinary research teams and clusters that address national research priorities and industry needs
  • Emphasising a strong quantitative, predictive and adaptive approach to climate change research
• Build on existing partnerships and broker new partnerships to explore and develop new research opportunities worldwide, by:
  • Exploring the feasibility of developing research collaborations with key institutions and research networks
  • Working with industry stakeholders to address applied problems in mitigation and adaptation
• Communicate the findings of our research more widely to government, business and the community to influence government policy and industry development by:
  • Upholding efective and sophistocated communication strategies for both internal and external stakeholder

Centre for Energy Technology (CET)

The Centre for Energy Technology (CET) promotes and fosters research that will result in cleaner energy generation, storage, distribution and utilisation of energy. A strong team has been created from the four disciplines of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. The centre aims to support Australia’s transition from a high to low CO₂ emission society. The Centre has leading expertise in technologies of practical and strategic interest to industry:

• Geothermal Energy: innovative power cycles, feasibility assessments, advanced cooling;
• Solar thermal: boost to existing power stations, integration with other systems;
• Alternative transport fuels: second generation feed-stocks such as micro-algae;
• Wind Power: capacity for testing in the largescale Wind Tunnel funded by the Premier’s Science and Research fund, noise reduction;
• Waste heat recovery and energy efficiency;
• Clean combustion technologies, including biomass and waste fuels;
• Emissions reductions within the mining and minerals processing sector.

Among the CET’s demonstrated strengths and successes working in partnership with industry are examples of patented technologies including:

• The development of the award winning Gyrotherm Low NOx Kiln burner, installed by partner FCT-Combustion in some 30 kilns in Europe, USA and Australia. This burner typically reduces NOx emissions by 50%, while also increasing output by around 5% and improving product quality;
• The innovative and award winning combustor employed by FCT-Flames in the Olympic Relay Torches for the Sydney and Athens Games, the Athens Stadium flame, the Doha Asian Games and elsewhere;
• The state-of-the-art pre-filter technologies employed by Indigo Technologies to greatly enhance the removal of fine and ultra-fine particles from power stations;
• The development and optimisation of a novel retractable float for seaplanes in partnership with Tigerfish Aviation;
• The development of the first purpose designed (Silica gel) low energy adsorptive desalination demonstration plant.

The CET’s most valuable asset is our experienced team of researchers and engineers who have been working with industry in developing new technologies and solutions. The completion of over 200 industrial projects in the past five years is the best demonstration of our extensive experience and expertise. Our track record speaks of our commitment to work closely with industry to achieve innovative and sustainable solutions. The centre currently encompasses a core team of 30 research staff and 34 postgraduate students.

Landscape Futures Program (LFP)

The Landscape Futures Program at the University of Adelaide, led by Professor Wayne Meyer, has been established to respond to the growing need for integrated solutions to the management of natural resources. It is an intimate group of 6 close collaborators and 12 postgraduate students. The Program aims to develop:

• New methods and models for landscape futures analysis that better inform managers and policy makers of conservation, repair and maintenance options for sustainable land use;
• Improved information systems to assess and monitor natural resource condition and provide a basis for projecting likely environmental condition into the future;
• The skills and knowledge for planning, implementing and monitoring for improved natural resource management.

More recently, Prof. Meyer has initiated the Landscape Science Cluster with researchers and agency staff within and outside the University and has coordinated a successful South Australian proposal to the NCRIS for the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network initiative ($7.75M). Wayne has been awarded $1.2M from the Premiers’ Science and Research Fund for research on how to facilitate robust environments, incomes and communities under a warmer drier climate.

Water Research Centre (WRC)

The Water Research Centre brings together scientists, engineers and economists to address water management issues of national significance. It currently encompasses 18 research staff and 70 postgraduate students. Its areas of strength are:

• Freshwater Ecology
  Our researchers have expertise to investigate and model the ecology and hydro-dynamics of large river and lake systems. They have led important studies into understanding the implications of changes to the hydrological patterns of the Lower River Murray and the internationally important Coorong estuary. They have many international collaborations including projects with the Chinese Academy of Science and participate in the Global Lakes Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON).
• Water Resources and Infrastructure Modelling
  The Water Research Centre has an internationally recognised capability in modelling and optimisation of water resources and infrastructure in both urban and rural environments. The optimisation is multi-disciplinary and multi-objective considering economic, environmental, social and public health objectives within the broad context of sustainable water management. This technology has been used to save millions of dollars in infrastructure costs. It is also the basis of an environmental management tool for wetlands and salinity drains in the Upper South East. The research has led to a significant commercial success.
• Soil Hydrology and Catchment Processes
  The Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide is world renowned for its soils research capability. This particular program investigates the nature and mobility of nutrients, carbon and elements from soils into streams and water storages. A particular focus will be on the development of methods to attenuate this movement to improve water quality.
• Water Quality, Treatment and Reuse
  Our Water Quality, Treatment and Reuse area is led by Dr David Lewis. Researchers are carrying out ground-breaking research into water reuse and recycling for potable, commercial and industrial applications. They are also leading innovation in areas of sustainable technologies relating to water treatment, wastewater treatment and algal biodiesel production.